UCF Benefit Dinner and Monarch Award Celebrates the Arts

The United Communities Foundation celebrated its second year with its annual benefit dinner this past Saturday and honored Karl Heidemann from Rogers City with this year?s Monarch Award recognizing his contributions to arts and culture in Presque Isle County. For the past several years Heidemann has invested his time, energy, and resources to restore and transform the Rogers City Theater into a performance theater. Since its opening, the stage has hosted high school dramas and musical events, community theater, and musical guests. He has shown his commitment to furthering the arts in the community by bringing many groups to the stage.

HEIDEMANN HAS not only created a space for the performances, he is active in the performances themselves, often taking leading roles in the productions. He lends his vocal talents to the northern Michigan Huron Shores Barbershop Chorus, and with the local barbershop quartet, the Nauticals, who perform throughout the community and special events. He is also the director of the Westminster Presbyterian Church choir and has served on the Rogers City Council as a councilman. Heidemann?s accomplishments were highlighted in a 19-minute video presentation produced by foundation secretary Anne Belanger, with video contributions from Richard Lamb. Belanger was further assisted by J&L Camera & Electronics who provided the AV equipment for the presentation of the video tribute at the event.

THE EVENING?S engagement was staged at the Black Lake Grill and Country Club in Onaway with more than 100 invited guests in attendance. This annual event supports the mission of the foundation to nurture and support the growth of education, artistic excellence and culture for all age groups in performing, visual, literary, media and folk arts in Presque Isle County. It is ultimately a funding source where citizens of all ages can embrace the opportunity for life-changing experiences and life enrichment through arts and cultural programs. In addition to the four-course gourmet dinner, youth musicians including Luke Bruski from Posen, and Byron Valentine from Presque Isle entertained guests during the reception and the dinner hour. Master of ceremonies Charlie MacInnis kept the evening fun-filled and lively with his entertaining and energetic style.

A LIVE AUCTION to raise funds for the organization concluded the event. The auction showcased northern Michigan artists including David Cook, Sandy Heltsley, Tom Moran, Glen McCune, Barbara Richards, Debbie Shiel, Jerry Smith

, Linda Smith, Steve Witucki, Sturgeon River Pottery, and internationally acclaimed artists from Russia, France, Israel and China which were handpicked by Albert Scaglione of Park West Gallery in Southfield; and decorations including table centerpieces were donated by Netta?s Nursery of Posen. This year, the United Communities Foundation awarded two scholarships to Chelsea Grieve and Matthew Kreft, both from the Onaway Area Schools. In addition, funding to the Northland Players helped support their theatre performance held at the Cheboygan Opera House of which the four lead roles were students from the Onaway area.

TO ENSURE perpetuity of the foundation as a permanent funding resource for Presque Isle County, contributions are placed in an endowment fund. The interest paid on this fund will be gifted based on the content of the mission statement. As the endowment grows, so does the number and size of the awarded recipients. Officers of the foundation include: Marlowe Belanger, president, Tom Moran, vice president, Anne Belanger, secretary, and Laura Shack, treasurer. Trustees include: Tom Allum, Gary Altman, Janet Bieri, Sally Mulka, Ken Radzibon, and Mark Thompson. For more information and contributions, please contact United Communities Foundation at P.O. Box 102, Rogers City, MI 49779.

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